Railway-car frame



(No Model.)

W. W. GRE EN,& J. MURISON. RAILWAY GAR FRAME.

No. 404,276. Patented May 28,1889.

N: PETERS. Plmwunm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM IV. GREEN AND JAMES MURISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO. THE AMERICAN FIRE PROOF STEEL CAR COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

RAI LWAY-CAR FRAM E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,276, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed August 29, 1888. Sen'al No. 284,079. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, \VILLIAM XV. GREEN and JAMEs MURISON, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Cars, of which the followiu g is a specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which represent the uncovered frame of a car constructed in accordance with our invention, and in which similar reference-letters indicate the same or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation; F i g. 2, an end elevation; Fig. 3, a partial horizontal section in line 0000 of Fig. 2 Figs. 4 and 5, vertical cross-sections; Fig. 6, a Vertical section in line 1] y of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a partial vertical transverse section; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the structure for which Letters Patent No. 372,615 were granted to us on the 1st day of November, A. D. 1887; and it consists in the several new features hereinafter described, and more. particularly indicated in the claims hereto appended.

In applying our improvements we employ a bed-frame, F, of any suitable character, but preferably the bed-frame shown and described in a pending application, Serial No. 28%,667, filed by us simultaneously herewith. The superstructure of the frame is composed entirely of metal, and is, in general principles, the same as that described and claimed in our former patent-that is to say, its trussplates P and top plates, P, are constructed of cables or rods and tubes therein'described, and it is provided with transverse members, A corresponding in general struci ure and function to. the transverse frames A of said former patent, and united to said longitudinal members in the manner therein set forth.

Upon the general structure we have now made the following improvements:

First. Instead of making the transverse members A of one integral plate, as heretofore, we now propose to make them of three or more pieces, a. a, riveted or bolted firmly together, so as to act substantially as one integral plate when in the structure, but to be severally capable of separation and independent detachment and removal for purposes of repairs, &c. The side posts, a, and ribs a are preferably formed in one integral piece bent to the proper shape; but the arch or raised-deck portion a of the frame is composed of one or more detachable pieces, as indicated in Figs. 2,4, 5, and 7, so that any part or the whole of it may be removed without interfering with the sides of the car should occasion arise therefor. Besides its greater convenience for purposes of repairs, this construction enables the height or shape of the arched portion a to be varied, while the upright sides a conform to a common standard, and it also enables the transverse frame-pieces to be handled more easily in course of 0011- struction of thecar.

Secondly. As an independent improvement, instead of making the longitudinal members g at the inner ends of the ribs of the cable or rod and tubes, as shown in our former patent, we now propose to make them of angleiron, to which the upper end of the ribs a and the lower end of the arch-pieces a are firmly bolted together by means of bolts passing through flanges formed on their respective ends and fitting against the faces of the angle-iron, as shown in Fig. 6. This construction further facilitates the removal of the detachable parts and involves less labor and expense in manufacturing and putting together. It also enables transverse tie-rods h, Fig. 7, to be applied when desired.

Thirdly. As an independent improvement, instead of forming the corner-posts of two fiat plates united by spacing-pieces and bolts, as

heretofore, we now propose to make them of angle-iron, t', Figs. 1 and 3, and connect them to the door-posts by flat strips of metal 7', to

which the corner-posts are fastened by the truss-plates P. This considerably simplifies and cheapens the construction, renders the structure firmer and stronger against the various strains imposed upon it, and enables the corners to be handsomely rounded in coverin g and finishing the car by the insertion of rounded plates or blocks between or over the flanges of the angle-iron.

Fourthly. Supporting the transverse framepieces by diagonal braces m on the same general principle as in our former patent. Instead of extending them from the base only to the truss-plate, as there shown, we now propose to extend them from the base to the top 5 plate, passing the truss-plate through them the same as through the transverse framepieces, and preferably bringing their lower ends nearer than before. This construction materially strengthens the car against longitudinal racking.

Fifthly. Instead of terminating the top plate, I and longitudinal members 9 at the ends of the frame, we propose to extend them beyond and connect them by a curved plate, K, at their outer extremities as a support and frame-work for the overhanging roof.

Sixthly. In combination with the trussplates, transverse frame-pieces, and bed'frame abot'e deseribed,we now propose to employ longitudinal truss-rods n, extending through the several middle transverse frame-pieces and down to the lower corners of the car. In connection with these straining-rods, and as a support for them at their highest point, we construct the middle post of the car of a block of wood or metal l, re-ent'orced at each side by a transverse frame-piece, the three parts thus constituting the middlepost being clamped firmly together by the action of the tubes and rods or cables constituting the truss-plate and top plate, and, lastly, at the points where the plates I I? (or any longitudinal 'member composed of the tie-rods and tubes described in our former patent) connect with the transverse frame-piece A we now propose to strengthen the joint by metal socket-pieces 'I, interposed between the sides of said frame-pieces and the ends of the tubes, as shown in Fig. 8. These socket-pieces are provided at their outer side with a projecting boss, f, containing a recess adapted to receive and hold the .end of the tube, and a perforation central ot' the recess to permit the insertion of the tierod or cable. Thus constructed they are placed against opposite sides of the framepieces and clamped firmly thereto by bolts 1 Their main purpose is to strengthen the joint and frame and prevent the thrust of the tubes from injuring the frame-pieces. To further strengthen the joint and guard against rattling, we propose to make each socket-piece centrally concave on the inner side, as shown at F, provide a small fillinghole, 1 leading into the concavity, and, after the parts have been secured in position, fill the concavity with solder or other suitable material.

As the result of the several improvements herein described our new car, while constructed on the general principle and involx ing the broad invention described and claimed in our said former patent, is considerably simpler, cheaper, and stronger, and can be much more easily repaired in case of any damage to the frame.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-frame, the combination of the metal side pieces, a, bent at their upper end to form the ribs a with separable pieces a for the arch or raised deck, substantially as described.

2. In a metal ear-frame, the combination of the metal side pieces, (t, bent at their upper end to form the ribs (0 with the separable pieces a for the arch or raised deck and the angle-iron longitudinal member g, connecting the parts a (6 substantially as described.

3. In a metal, car-frame, the combination ol. the angleiron corner-posts t' with the transverse f rame-pieccs A and their longitudinal connections, substantially as described.

4. In a metal car-trame,thc combination of the transverse frame-pieces A, their longitud inal connections, and the bed-frame I? with the braces .m, extending from the bed frame to the top plate, substantially as described.

5. In a metal car-frame, the combination of the transverse frame-pieces A and the longitudinal members P l with the socket-pieces T, provided with the exterior socket for the tubes and the perforation for the rods and clamped to opposite sides of the frame-pieces by the bolts t, substantially as described.

(3. In a metal car-frame, the (.iombination ol" the transverse frame-pieces A and the longitudinal members I I? with the socket-pieces T, provided with the exterior socket for the tubes, the perforation for the rods, the interior concavity, t and the fillinghole t, and clamped to opposite sides of the lt'ran'le-picces by the bolts t, substantially as described.

WILLIAM \V. GREEN. JAMES M UNISON. \Vitn esses:

HARRY Brrxnn, \VILLIARI LANriUcnE. 

